Brassiere



Oct. 8, 1929. c. G. WHIPPY 7 1,731,033

BRASSIERE Filed. July 2, 1927 I N VEN TOR.

f/zar/zs' & BY 8 m 1 6 A TTORNE J Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES CHARLES G. winery, or LAKEWOOD, 01:10

BRASSIERE Application filed July 2, 1927, Serial No. 203,211.

The present invention relates to a brassiere or similar type of garment, and more particularly to certain features of -construction whereby the garment is adapted to fit snugly and without chafing or creeping due to movements by the wearer thereof. The essential features of the construction are the use of an encircling band or strap of elastic material with two arc-shaped portions thereof turned down on the inside of the band and secured to the rest of the band in such turned-down position, such turned-down portions tending to hold the garment at these portions snugly against the body of the wearer so as to prevent sliding or creeping.

In addition to the band the garment pre: sents two formed or shaped pocket portions attached to the band at the turned-down arcuate portions and these are connected to the band by means of shoulder straps so arranged that pull from the shoulder strap extends down the sides of the pockets rather than through the body of the material. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1' is an inside elevational view of the device; Fig. 2 is an outside elevational view of a portion of the device; Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the pocket portions in its original shape; Fig. 4.- is an elevational View of a portion of the garment taken from the inside and showing a modified form of construction; Fig. 5 is an elevatibnal view of the modification shown in Fig. 4. with the. pocket portion unhooke'd from the supporting strap;

I and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6--6 of Fig.

The present garment as best shown in Fig. 1 consists of a band or strap 1 of elastic material having fastening devices 2 and 3 at two ends so that the device may be attached around the body of the wearer and this elastic material is turned down at two adjacent portions 4 at the front of the band in an arcuate form and each turned-down portion 4 is secured to the main portion of the band or strap by means of a seam 5, as best, shown in Fig. 6, and as thus illustrated, each inturned arcuate portion 4 tends to curve inwardly so as to hold snugly against the body of the wearer to prevent creeping of the garment when in use.

Attached to the band or strap 1 and along the line of the turned-down arcuate portions 4 are two breast supporting pocket members 6 which are shown in their extended form in Fig. 3. In this figure the material is roughly in the form of a half-circle, with a laterally extending'straight side a, which in turn is extended back to the other side of the halfcircle by means of two substantially straight sides, 6 and 0, including an obtuse angle therebetween. The lower semi-circular portion 7, at each side of the semi-circle is provided with a pleat 8 so as to form the pocket shape and at the juncture 9 between the two angularly related sides is a dart 10 which however is sewed merely across the edge 11 of the pocket and does not provide any dart seam, thus allowingalimited amount of expansibility in the pocket member.

This pocket portion, as shown in Fig. 4, is attached to the strap with the curved lower portion 7 secured along the arcuate turneddown strap portion by means of the seam 5.

A shoulder strap 12 is secured to each pocket portion at the juncture 9 of the two upper sides I) and 0 and to the strap 1 at a point nearly adjacent its end of the strap which, of course, will be secured togethernear the middle of the back of the wearer.

The two angularly related sides 6 and c are so arranged that the pull from the shoulder strap is adapted to pull along the edges of these sides which are folded over and turned into seams 14 to take the strain and thus tend to relieve the pocket from directly upward .rpull which in turn, of course, will be transmitted to the band and tend to cause the garment to rise or creep. The tendency is to pull the two sides 6 and 0 close to the body of the wearer, leaving the pocket portion fairly free and without putting any definite pull vertically of the pocket, thus making the garment more comfortable in use.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the two pockets or breast supporting covering portions are entirely unconnected, except as both of them are connected to the encircling elastic band, and thus movement of the wearer which would move one pocket does not tend to pull or draw the other breast pocket.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the device is slightly modified to make. it satisfactory for use in maternity cases and as shown, the attachment of the shoulder straps 12 to the pockets is by means of separable snap fasteners 15 or the like so that the pocket can be unfastened and turned down as shown in Fig. 5.

To prevent the shoulder straps 12 from falling backwards off the shoulder of the wearer, ribbons 16 or the like are connected to the band 1 at points adjacent one end of the arcuate turned-down portions 4 and to the shoulder straps 11, these ribbons being of sufficient length so as to have no function when the pocket portions are attached and being of sufiicient length to allow ease of movement of the shoulder strap when either pocket is in its turned-down position.

The features of the present garment are particularly the use of individual pocket portions'connected only to the band, these pocket portions being cup shaped and of a limited amount of expansibility, combined with the use of the turned-down arcuate portions inside so as to obtain a curved portion which tends to hug the body of the wearer snugly so a as to prevent creeping.

@ther features of importance are the manner of attaclnng shoulder straps and the 2; A brassiere consisting of a strap of elastic material having two turned-down, adjacent arcuate portions at the front, said two arcuate portions being folded inwardly and secured by a seam, two breast supporting pocket members attached to said strap at said turned face down portions by said seam, each of said pocket members extending along strap and being fastened thereto outwardly from said turned-down portion, being provided with two angularly related sides, and shoulder straps connected to said pockets at the juncture of said sides and to said elastic strap. Signed by me this 30th day of June, 1927.

CHARLES G. WHIPPY.

shape and formation of the pocket members so as to allow the shoulder straps to pull the sides of the pocket members in toward the body of the wearer without tending to pull or draw the pocket proper in an uncomfortable manner.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be-employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

1 therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A brassiere consisting of a strap of elastic material having two turned-down, adjacent arcuate portions at the front, said two ar'ouate portions being folded inwardly and secured by a seam, breast supporting pocket members, attached to said strap at said turned-down portions, and shoulder straps connected to said pocket members and to said strap. 

